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Aston Villa have secured a permanent £8m deal for Dutch international Anwar El Ghazi - the winger who opened the scoring in their Championship play-off final victory over Derby County.

The 24-year-old spent the 2018-19 season on loan at Villa Park from Lille, scoring six goals in 36 appearances as Dean Smith's side clinched a return to the Premier League.

The final one of those six goals came just before half-time of the Wembley showpiece against Derby, when El Ghazi headed home Ahmed Elmohamady's cross.

John McGinn then doubled Villa's advantage, meaning Jack Marriott's late strike was not enough to prevent Villa securing promotion.

Anwar El Ghazi of Aston Villa scores his team's first goal during the Sky Bet Championship Play-off Final match between Aston Villa and Derby County at Wembley Stadium (Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

El Ghazi has now signed a four-year deal at Villa Park to ensure he is a part of Smith's squad in the Premier League - and the Villa manager believes the winger's play-off final performance showed why they were so keen to sign him up.

"Anwar proved to everybody at Wembley how good a player he can be for Aston Villa," he said.

"He's ready for the step up to the Premier League and he's a young player who has an awful lot of potential.

"It's now my job and the job of the coaching staff and Anwar himself to fulfil the potential that he undoubtedly has.